Sea · Japan, Russia, South Korea
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan lies between Japan, Korea and Russia. It is almost completely surrounded by land and islands, and in Korea it is called the East Sea.
Picture credit: 掬茶 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Ocavis Leechroot (CC BY 3.0) · mtkhr (CC BY 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Where is Sea of Japan?
Part of: Pacific Ocean.
Countries on its coasts: Japan, Russia, South Korea, North Korea.
The story behind it
The Sea of Japan is like a big basin with only narrow doors to the rest of the ocean. Straits such as the Korea Strait in the south and the Tsugaru Strait between the Japanese islands of Honshu and Hokkaido link it to other seas. Because it is so closed in, it has almost no tides. Warm currents such as the Tsushima Current carry warmer water north, and this helps give Japan its mild climate. In winter, ice forms in the cold north, and when it melts in spring, cold currents flow south. The sea is home to more than 3 500 kinds of animals, including about 1 000 kinds of fish. Fishing boats catch squid, crabs, sardines and salmon, and seals and whales swim here too. Busy ports such as Vladivostok in Russia, Busan in South Korea and Niigata in Japan lie on its shores.
Find it on the globe
Sea of Japan is there as a name written across its water — tap the water and its card opens. From far away the planet is only a blue ball; detail arrives as you zoom in, and this one appears once you are close enough. Open it on the globe.
Questions children ask
How big is the Sea of Japan?
The Sea of Japan covers about 978 000 km², although some sources give a slightly larger figure. On average it is about 1 752 m deep, and its deepest point is usually given as about 3 742 m.
Why does the Sea of Japan have almost no tides?
It is almost completely closed off from the Pacific Ocean. Only narrow straits connect it to the open sea, so the tide cannot push much water in and out.
Which countries lie on the Sea of Japan?
Japan, Russia, South Korea and North Korea have coasts on it. Japan calls it the Sea of Japan, while South Korea calls it the East Sea.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page was checked against public reference sources before publication. Where sources genuinely disagree, the text says so.
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